On 24 July, a Public Health England report confirmed that excess weight can increase risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19.
Whilst this may seem news just in to some people we’ve been beating this drum since before the pandemic was even heard of. Excess weight contributes to many of the worlds biggest health problems, this is a well documented and evidenced fact.
There are many health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure to name a few that are made worse and more difficult to fight the effects of if your carrying excess weight. This study released by Public Health England was off the back of a statement from Boris Johnson stating that his excess weight was one of the reasons he needed intensive care when he contracted Corona Virus.
Firstly, same as any other issue you’re trying to correct or resolve means that you need to understand the situation input. What are the factors that have created this problem?
In the case of excess weight (not quite the same as obesity but certainly knocking on that way), lack of exercise, poor diet and lifestyle choices combined with a lack of education.
We all know, or say we know what we should and shouldn’t eat, and which foods are supposedly bad in high quantities or prolonged consumption but if this is the case how can obesity and other diseases connected with carrying excess weight be such a big problem? If we all know this, why are so many disregarding the info? Many people lack the education around the exercise they should be doing, and the foods they should eat. This in itself can be a tricky topic, largely because every client is different. Two clients may want to lose weight but their circumstances, goals and tastes in diet and exercise are completely different so what will fit for one, might not fit for the other. This is where the whole government recommendation system falls flat on its face. The information put out by governments is representative of (supposedly) 95% of the population. This means 95% of the population require 2000 calories per day and should walk 10,000 steps, they should aim to consume 5 portions of fruit and veg daily, they should drink 2 litres of water per day. These are just statements with no education attached, therefore the recipient is unlikely to adhere because the reasons why, the benefits and ‘if you don’ts’ aren’t made clear.
Adopting a more active lifestyle and making changes to your food intake can massively reduce the effects of weight gain and indeed the amount of weight you carry around with you on a day to day basis.
We’re not all diet and lifestyle Nazis in the fitness industry because for good health and longevity you don’t have to be massively strict. All you need to do is consume a balanced diet containing less calories than you currently consume, and do more exercise than you currently are. The exercise will burn calories, the balanced diet will nourish your body and help it recover and grow stronger from exercise, and the two combined will strengthen your resilience, to fatigue and to infection.
We firmly believe you can give yourself a fighting chance against anything life can throw at you whether it’s a physical challenge, a mental challenge or something health related. Your body craves balance, as I mentioned in the piece about homeostasis. In fact, that is all it wants. For every bit of negative stress in your life, I.E poor nutrition, little exercise, sedentary lifestyle, relationship stress, work stress or mental and physical illness your body wants to be exposed to good stress to balance it out. Healthy wholesome food, sufficient levels of activity.
Talk to us and see what you can do to improve your chances against health problems big and small.
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